A New Kind of Normal

So nice of the city to greet me with excruciating heat, humidity and a smog advisory :P For my American friends:

So far I’m doing okay in the heat, but there are no signs of it letting up for at least the next week, which may eventually pose some problems. As of right now, I’m learning how to cope with being a sweaty mess 24/7 ;)

I’d also be lying if I said I wasn’t ecstatic to start eating kale and hummus salads again on the daily. We eat the way we do for a reason – because it works for our bodies. A deviation from that can be fun and welcome for a short period of time. But we’ll always desire to fall back into our natural patterns for the long-run.

Grocery shopping in Ontario is proving to be a fun experience. Many of the same products as in New Brunswick, but I’m finding a few new-to-me things!

I’ve never found hummus to be overly caloric to begin with, but the foodie in me was intrigued by Wendy and Barb’s Skinny Dips Hummus.

15 calories per tablespoon. Okay, so maybe this isgood if you’re prone to eating hummus by the half-cup (I can’t be the only one!!)

The ingredients are all very normal. It seems they simply cut out any oil to eliminate some calories and fat, something I do when I make my own hummus at home. Not great if you rely on hummus as a healthy source of fat though. Taste wise, it’s pretty good. So long as hummus has chickpeas and garlic I’m good. Texture-wise, it’s a little on the watery side.

Dessert!

Ikea chocolate. Yes, a $1 chocolate bar from Ikea my sister insisted on getting. And by “insisted” I mean she pointed to it and I fervently agreed. I’m on a hazelnut milk chocolate kick and this fits the bill. No Lindt though. Lindt will always be my favourite.

I’ve also finally started cooking in my new place!! This is where all the magic will be happening…

A much larger kitchen than in my old place, which was literally smaller than a closet. The fire alarms are all working, which may be a necessary quality with my cooking methods. I predict many great things coming from this kitchen!! :)

The living area just off the kitchen:

Please excuse the mess, we are still doing a lot of unpacking and cleaning. Table is off to the side, which will be perfect for eating off of.

We have stairs!

Which lead up to a hallway that includes a bathroom and three bedrooms. I have two roommies who I met in J-school (and played in a band with!!). I’m sure you’ll be seeing lots of them on the blog soon :)

Meet my Ikea bedroom:

Note, that is not a comforter but a sleeping bag I brought to Banff with me. Bedding will be arriving at the end of the month.

To the immediate left is my giant closet.

Hi!! Full length mirror came with place, score. So did this TV:

Double score. This is the opposite wall at the foot of the bed. There’s another small closet there that is currently empty because most of my belongings are still in Moncton! I still need to find fun things to put on the walls too.

That weird halo lighting comes from these:

Two skylights above the TV! Pretty neat, however I can’t open them which makes it pretty warm and stuffy in my room. Also, I’ve taken to wearing an eye mask because I have yet to figure out how to put curtains on them. Honestly though, I should have started wearing an eye mask a long time ago. I’m always up with the sun, and now I’m sleeping 8+ in pitch black. It’s heavenly.

I also have a second home here in Toronto:

The coffee shop just down the street. We still don’t have internet at the new place, so I’ve been spending my afternoons hanging out in here and it really does feel like a second home! I just finished that above iced tea.

And I maaaay have just had a coconut cookie. But the only evidence of its existence are a few mere crumbs on a plate in front of me. Hmm. Second homes with delicious baked goods could be dangerous.

On that note, I am off to discover my third home here in Toronto. My nearest gym!! I haven’t worked out in five days and feel like I just need to get in there and move my body. I’m still sick as a dog, but maybe getting my blood flowing will help this cold along.

Oh! Oh! And thank you for the good luck wishes on my interview today! I have a second interview tomorrow morning so they must have worked :) Keep ‘em coming!!

Question of the Day: I am starting to feel out of touch with my bloggie friends, name one exciting thing that has happened to you in the last week!

Totally feel you on eating routines — this weekend, I had delicious pizza and Vietnamese food, and while it was great at the time, I LOVED eating a big ol’ salad for lunch today! Missed it like crazy.

As for exciting things happening in the last week? I honestly am happy to have a pretty unexciting life right now, since it’s summer and I still have about 7 weeks until school starts up again. Made a rockin’ batch of red pepper hummus yesterday, is that exciting? Haha. Good luck with continuing to get your new place in order — the kitchen looks awesome!

hazelnut chocolate is the shizzzzzz. probably one of my favourites.
i haven’t been to ikea in a long time, but if i remember correctly the $1 chocolate bars are the size of my head. awesome! haha.
hope you’re enjoying the new place. :)

I’m 110% with you about being away from the normal eating then going straight back to it in time.
My weekends are jam packed with eating out & being naughty then during the week I crave vegetables, clean & simple.

Wow everything’s coming together for you Susan! I’m sure if you didn’t indulge yourself in all those experiences you would have regretted it. Getting back to the grind will always be an option – so yes I definitely agree it’s OK to deviate from it every now and then :)

Good luck on your interview! Stupid American holiday shenanigans kept me away from blog reading so I JUST saw that you had an interview in the first place =) Though I can’t complain, I had an awesome Fourth of July.

Hmm, exciting thing in the past week is tough – I saw a listing for a job that I’d like to apply for – I guess that’s exciting. I’m gunna send my resume in this week and hope for the best. I mean I’m starting law school in the Fall so I don’t NEED a job, but I’m getting antsy just sitting around my house this summer. I need structure to keep me busy. lol

I don’t really have any news, other than I’m having the best time just chilling out and my back feels ab fab so alls good in the hood! Good luck with the next interview looking forward to seeing where you end up x x

Welcome to Southern Ontario friend. It’s h-o-t! You’re always welcome to venture down the 401 anytime and come for a swim in my pool. ;) VIA will take you practically door to door!

I’ve bought the Wendy and Barb’s hummus before and while it isn’t awful, I find it too lemony and a bit grainy or something…. can’t put my finger on it. I know the W&B stuff is the “healthier” choice…but I really prefer the texture of the Fontaine Sante hummus. Have fun with Ontario groceries (I was in heaven when I first moved here) and don’t forget to scope out the Whole Foods in Yorkville.

Good luck with the fresh start. I know you’re going to rock it in TO (secretly wish I was in my 20’s again and doing what you are doing)

i am so out of touch too. and have eaten too much. goo. this is get back on track week for me. most exciting thing to happen? 4th of July in Chicago with my besties! good times were most definitely had!

Love the pictures of your new place. It’s been disgustingly hot here too so I hear you.
Nothing too crazy has happened to me in the last week but this Saturday I’m getting married haha, nothing too major right?
I hope you like your new gym and it makes you feel a lot better!

Nice place, but WOW that’s hot! How is it that it can currently be hotter in Canada than in South Carolina?! We’re only in the low 100s here! Amazing. And I agree with you on the junkie eating. It makes me feel so poofy and yuck. I’m happy to be back with my salads and yogurt! This past weekend I spent a surprise holiday out on the lake with my friend’s family… and this weekend I’m off to the beach with them!

wow that is HOT! love the new digs. seriously. and i feel out of touch, too! i miss you, susan! i have been going crazy with wedding and house stuff this week, it will only get worse next week. but i had to stop by and say i LOVE you!

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Welcome!

My name is Susan, I'm a 20-something living in Atlantic Canada and this is my blog about... me. I used to blog about food and fitness, but that all changed in June 2011 when I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. After six months of chemotherapy, I was declared cancer-free in January 2012. I now write about anything and everything as I stumble through my post-cancer world. I'm a trained journalist currently working as a writer/researcher. I also have a background in personal fitness training and nutrition. Welcome to my piece of the internet!
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